Thread clamp and cutter for sewing-machines.



F. ZALESKL THREAD CLAMP'AND CUTTER FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION man mAmzs. 1915.

Patented Sept. 12,1916.

FrunK ZulesKi byfm/WA MM Auy'fs.

S T s PATENT @FFTGE.

FRANK- ZALESKI, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOIR- TO THE REECE BUTTON HOLE MACHINE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORA- Tioivi 0F MAINE.

THREAD CLAMP AND CUTTER FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 112. 11 91 6.

Application filed March 26, 1915. Serial No. 17,260.

Improvement in Thread Clamps and Cutters for Sewing-Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, l ke characters on the d awing representing like parts.

This invention relates to sewing machines and has for its object. to provide a novel thread-clamping and cutting device which operates automatically to cut the needle thread and to hold the end thereof leading to the source of supply at the end of a predeterminedstitching operation. Said device retains its hold on the needle thread until after the initial stitches have been formed when the machine is set in operation again, thus relieving the operator of the duty of cutting the thread at the end of a stitching operation and of holding the needle thread when the machine is set in operation again.

Vhile my invention is capable of use with sewing machines of different types, I have herein chosen to illustrate it as it might be embodied in a buttonhole sewing machine of the so called Reece type, examples of which. are to be found in the following United States Letters Patent: No. 494E280, dated March 28, 1893; No. 655,637, dated August 7, 1900; No. 1,019,667, dated March" The sewing machines illustrated in the above-mentioned patents include in their is brought to rest and the clamp frame and,

mechanism is then automatically set in 0poration and the stitch frame and clamp frame have -a further feeding movement necessary to carry the stitches down one side a of the after which the stitch-forming mechanism stitch frame have a further ment to bring relative movethe parts to their initial position, the woi'lcclamp automatically releas-. ing the work operation.

at the end of the stitching My invention involves a novel device which becomes operative automatically immediately after the work has beenunclamped and during the final relative. move ment' of the stitch frame and clamp frame 'to cut the needle thread and to hold the severed end of the thread until the stitch- 'ing operation has been commenced again,

construction a clamp frame having Work clamping means and a so-called stitch frame carrying the stitch-forming mechanism usually in the form of an upper and an under threadmechanism which cooperate to concatenate the edge stitchesof a buttonhole. Thisstitch'frame and clamp frame are movable relative to each other and when the machine is started in operation the work clamp is operated to clamp the work in positioii and the buttonhole is then out, after which the stitch frame and clamp frame have a relative movement to bring the stitchforming mechanism into proper position to stitch the buttonhole. The stitch-forming of the initial stitches.

said device operating automatically to release the needle thread after the formation In order to give an understanding of invention, I have illustrated in the drawings a selected embodiment thereof which Figure 1 is a side view of a portion of a' buttonhole sewing machine of the Reece type having my improvements 7 applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a planvie'w of the threadclamping and cutting device showing the portion of the sewing machine to which it is attached and by which it is operated; Fig. 3 is a section on the line-33, Fig 2; Fig. at is a plan view of the thread-clamping and cutting device; Fig. 5 is an enlarged end view thereof.

In Fig. I l designates a so-called clamp frame of the sewing machine which is providedwith work clamps 2 carried by arms 3 pivoted to the clamp frame at 4', and dis a portion of the so-called stitch frame which carries the upper and under thread mechanism. This stitch frame is provided with the usual overhanging arm 6 in which the buttonliole, around the eye thereof and back the other side of the buttonliole,

needle bar 7 reciprocates, as usual, the latalso a rotary motion to effect the stitching around the buttonhole as usual 1nsewing machines of this type, this rotary motion being secured from a rock-shaft 9 carrying a segmental gear 10 meshing with a p nion 11 through which the needle bar operates.

- prises a tubular member 12 having at one end a cutting edge 13-and a cooperating element 11 slidably mounted in the tubular member 12 and provided with a thread-receiving passage 15 having a flaring throat 16 leading thereto from one side of the member 1a. \Vhen the member 14 is projected into the dotted line position Fig. 2, or the full line position Fig. 1, the throat 16 extends beyond the cutting edge 13 and this is the position of the parts at the end of the stitching operation. After the stitching operatiolr has ceased "the needle thread t is caused to pass through the throat 16 into the passage 15 and the member 1a is then given a movement longitudinally of the tubular member 12 into the position shown in Fig. 3, this movement operating to draw the thread it against the cutting edge 13 and to sever the latter, and also operating to clamp the thread t between. the surface 17 and the inner wall of the tubular member 12, as clearly seen in Fig. 3. slightly at 17 so as to avoid any possibility of cutting the thread at this point, the

part being so shaped that it will simply clamp the thread and not sever' it. This relative movement of the parts 1% and .12 for'cutting and clamping the thread may be provided for in various ways. As herein shown, the tubular member 12 is fixedly secured to an arm 18 which in turn is fastened in some suitable way to the arm 3 carrying the work clam p 2. As herein shown, the arm 18 is secured to the arm 3 by means of screws 19. The member 14 is pivotally connected at its outer end to a lever 20 which is pivoted. at 21 to a projection 22 secured to the arm 3, and this lever 20 is provided at its rear end with two cam members .23 and 21, both of which are preferably adjustably fastened to the lever 20 by means of clamping screws 25,

relative movements The member '14. is cut away down one side of the buttonhoile.

each cam member having a slot 26 through which the screws operate. faces 23, 21 cooperate withprojections 27 and 28 rigid with the stitch frame5, and in the present embodiment of my inven tion these projections are shown as carried by a plate or bracket 29 which is secured to the stitch frame by means of screws 30.

It will be remembered that the stitch frame and clamp frame have a movement relative to each other in stitching the buttonhole, and it will beseen from Fig.2 that if the stitch frame moves to the right These cam sur-' relative to the clamp frame, such move ment will cause the projection 28 to impinge against the cam 21 thereby swinging the lever 20 and moving the clamping member 11 into the dotted line position. On the other .hand, movement of the stitch frame 1 to the left relative to the clamp frame will cause the projection 27 to impinge against the cam 23, thus swinging the lever '20 into.

the'ful line position Fig. 2, and moving. the clamping'member 14 into positionto cut and clamp a thread which occupies the notch 15. 2 in the position they assume atthe end of The parts are shown in Fig;

the stitching operation. When the machine.

is started, the work clamps 2 are first brought into operative position to clamp the work and then the clamp frame and stitch frame have a' relative movement to carry the needle bar and needle into substantially the dotted line position Fig. 1. This movement brings the projection 28 into substantially .the dotted line position Fig,

The clamping 2 relative to the cam. 24.

member 14 is constructed to have sufficient..."

member 12 so that it will retain frictionally any position in which it is placed. yWhen the stitch frame and clamp frame have been given a relative movement into the frictional engagement with the tubulardotted line position, Figs. 1 and 2, the.

stitching operation is begun, and as it proceeds the stitch frame and clamp frame have a still further relative .movement in the same direction to effect the stitching This further movement brings the projection 28 against the cam 24 and moves the'lever 20 and clamping member 14 into the dotted line position Fig. 2.

It will be understood that when the machine is' brought to rest the end of the needle thread 6 is held in the clamping device, as shown in Fig. 3, and this clamping member retains its hold on the thread until said clamping member is movedinto the needle thread will be firmly clamped, as 13 shown in Fig. 3, during the formation of the first stitch, thus relieving the operator of the duty of holding the end of the thread.

As the stitching proceeds the stitch frame and clamp frame have a relative feeding movement to cause the stitches to be formed down one side of the buttonhole, around the eye thereof and back to the starting point, the stitching operation automatically ceasing when the needle bar is in approximately the dotted line position Fig. 1. The work is then unclamped and the clamp raised, as shown in Fig. l, and the stitch frame and clamp frame have a still further relative movement to bring the parts in the full line position Fig. 1. During this further relative movement the needle thread '15 leading from the needle to the work is drawn into the throat 16 of the clamping member 14, it being remembered that said clamping member has been projected into the full line posi tio-n Fig. 4 and dotted line position Fig. 2 by the engagement of the projection 28 with the cam 24. After the stitch frame and clamp frame have had a sufficient relative movement to bring the needle thread into the notch 15, then the projection 27 comes into engagement with the cam 23, and during the further relative movement of the stitch frame and clamp frame said projection 27 acts on the cam 23 to swing thelever 20 into the full line position Fig. 2, thereby withdrawing the clamping member 14. This withdrawing movement draws the thread t against the cutting edge 13 thereby cutting the needle thread and at the same time clamps the thread t between the portion 17 and the inside of the tubular member 12, as

shown in Fig. 3, so that when the machine comes to rest the needle thread has been cut and the end leading to the needle is firmly gripped by the thread clamp. The operator,

therefore, is entirely relieved from the duty of either severing the needle thread or of holding the end to make sure that the first stitch will be properly formed.

I have herein shown the end of the tubular member 12 as slotted, as at 31, and a clamp ing sleeve 32 is placed about the slotted end, said clamping sleeve being a split sleeve with a clamping screw 33 by which it may be tightened; The purpose of this construction is to provide means for adjusting the clamp ing mechanism so that the needle thread of whatever size it may be will be properly clamped without danger of cutting it. This construction also provides means for varying thefrictional engagement between the clamping member 14 and the tubular member 12 so as to insure the proper friction between these parts to hold the clamping member in either of its two positions. This device also serves to take up any wear and provides for any necessary adjustment.

It will be seen that the device is simple in construction, positive inits action and is so situated and constructed that it does not interfere with the ordinary use of the machine.

I claim:

1. In a sewing machine, the combination with work-clamping means, of astitch frame carrying a reciprocating needle, said frame andwork-clamping means having a movement relative to each other, a needle-threadclamping device carried by thework-clamping means and comprising two elements having a telescopic relation; one of said elements having a threadreceiving throat, and means actuated by said relative movement to operate said elements to effect the clamping of the needle thread. i

2. In a sewing machine, the combination with a clamp frame carrying work-clamping means, of a st'itchframe carrying a reciprocating needle, said frames having a move ment relative to each other, a needle-threadcutting device carried by the work-clamping means and comprising two elements having 'vided with a thread-receiving passage, and

means actuated by the relative movement of the frames to operate the clamping element to clamp the thread.

at. In a sewing machine, the combination with a clamp frame carrying work-clamping means, of a stitch frame carrying a re -c1procat1ng needle, said frames having a movement relative to each other, a needlethread-cutting device carried by the work clamping means and comprising a tubular element havinga cutting edge, a cooperat ing element slidably mounted in the tubular element and provided with a thread-receiving passage. and means actuated by the relative movement of said frames to move said elements relative to each other to cause a thread occupying said passage to be moved against the cutting edge.

In a sewing machine. the combination with a clamp frame carrying work-clamping means, of a stitch frame carrying a recipro cating needle, said frames having a movement relative to each other. a nccdle-tln'ead clamping device comprising a tubular element, a thread-clamping element having an open thread passage and movable in the tubular element, and means operated by the relative movement of said frames to move the latter element into a position to carry said passage beyond the tubular element so that the needle thread may enter said passage and then to move said element in the opposite direction to cause the thread to be clamped between said elements.

(3. In a sewing machine, the combination with a clamp frame carrying work-clamping means, of a stitch frame carrying a reciprocating needle, said frames having a movement relative to each other, a combined thread-clamping and cutting device comprising a tubular element carried by the work-clan'iping means and having a cutting edge, a clamping element received within the tubular element and provided with an, open thread passage, means actuated by the 7 relative movement of said frames to present said thread passage in position to receive the needle'tliread at the end of the stitching operation and then to give saidelements a relative movement to clamp the thread be tween said elements and to cut the thread.

7In a sewing machine, the combination with a clamp frame carrying work-clamping means, of a stitch frame carrying upper thread mechanism, a thread-clamping device comprising a tubular element and a clamping element slidable in said tubular element and provided with a thread-receiving throat, a lever pivoted to said clamping element, and means rendered operative by the relative movement of said frames to ac- ,tuate said lever and give the clamping element a movement to carry the throat into position to receive the thread and then into position to clamp the thread between the two elements.

8. In a sewing machine, the combination with a clamp frame carrying work-clamping means, of a stitch frame carrying upper thread mechanism, a thread-clamping device comprising a tubular element and a clamping element slidable in said tubular element and provided with a thread-receiving throat, a lever pivoted to said clamping element, and means rendered operative by the relative movement of said frames to ac" tuate said lever and give the clamping element a movement to carry the throat into position to receive the thread and theninto position to clamp the thread between the two elements, said tubular element having a cutting edge by which the thread is severed as it is clamped.

9. In a sewing machine, the combination with a stitch frame having stitch-forming mechanism, of work-clamping means situated above the work, said stitch frame and work-clamping means having a relative movement, of a thread-clamping device comprising a tubular element sustained on the work-clamping means, and a clamping element slidably mounted in the tubular element and provided with a thread-receiving and projections associated with the stitch ,frame to engage said cams during the relative movement of the frame and thereby op- 'erate the clamping member 1 1.

11. In a sewing machine, the combination withsvorkrclamping means comprising relatively fixed and movable clamping members, ofa stitch frame carrying stitch-formingmechanism, said'frame and work-clamping means having a movement relative to each other, a thread-clamping device carried by the movable clamping member and comprising two elements having a telescopic relation, one of said elements having a threadreceiving throat, and means, actuated by the relative movement between said stitch frame and work-clamping means to operate said threadclamping elements thereby to effect clamping of the needle thread.

12. In a sewing machine, the combination with work-clamping means comprising relatively-fixed and movable clamping members,

of a stitch frame carrying stitch-forming mechanism, said frame and work-clamping means having a movement relative to each other, a thread-clamping device carried by the movable clampingmember and comprising two elements having 'a telescopic relation, one of said elements having a threadreceiving throat, and means actuated by the relative movement between said stitch frame and work-clamping means to operate said thread-clamping elements thereby to effect clamping of the needle thread at the end of the stitching operation and to release said needle thread after the initial stitches have been formed on the next succeeding stitching operation.

13. In a sewing machine, the combination with a stitch frame carrying stitch-forming mechanism, of work-clamping means comprising relatively-fixed and movable clamping members, said worlcclamping means and stitch frame having a relative movemovable within the tubular element, and

means operated-by the relative movement between the stitch frame and work clamping means to IHOXB the thread-clamping element within the tubular element to effect the clamping of the needle thread. c

14. In a sewing machine, the combination with a stitch frame carrying stitch-forming mechanism, of work-clamping means comprising relatively-fixed and movable clamping members, said stitch frame and workclamping means having a movement relative to each other, athread-cutting device comprising a tubular element secured to the relatively-movablev clamping member and having a cutting edge, a cooperating element slidably mounted in the tubular element and provided with a thread-receiving passage, and means actuated by the relative movement between the stitch frame and work clamping means to move said cutting elements relative to each other to cause a thread occupying said passage to be moved against the cutting edge;

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the'presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. 7 4 FRANK'ZALE SKI. V Witnesses: F; A. SHEA,

LOUIS C. SMITH. 

